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Alafco adds to Airbus order

The firm, which signed the contract on the second day of Dubai Airshow, supersedes a provisional order for 30 aircraft announced at the Paris Air Show in June.

The company is not greatly concerned about economic turmoil in Europe derailing long-term aircraft demand especially in the Middle East, according to chairman Ahmed Al Zabin.

“We are talking long-term partnership, what is happening now is short term,” Al Zabin told reporters at a news conference. Responding to a question, the chairman said the decision to shift the 787 orders to Oman Air represented an extension of the company’s view that it is a strategic partner for Boeing in the region.

The leasing company previously announced plans to lease the Boeing planes to Omani carrier. He said whatever is good for the company and Boeing and the customer, “we just do it.”

The leasing company has already ordered a total of 26 A320s of which 25 have been delivered to date. “The A320neo is the market’s favourite single-aisle aircraft family,” Al Zabin said.

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family entering into service from 2015 and incorporates latest generation engines and large “Sharklet” wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 per cent in fuel savings.

This reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4m litres of fuel — the consumption of 1,000 mid size cars. This saves 3,600 metric tonnes of Co2 per aircraft per year, the amount absorbed by 240,000 mature trees. The A320neo NOx emissions are 50 per cent below CAEP/6 and this aircraft also has considerably a smaller noise footprint, according to Airbus. “The significant fuel burn savings it offers, combined with the operational reliability and cost effectiveness of the A320 Family, make it an absolute “must have” in our portfolio to meet the demand and the requirements of our customers,” Al Zabin said.

He said that higher fuel prices means airlines require fuel efficient aircraft and with the A320neo offering a 15 per cent fuel burn reduction, it is the ideal investment. Airbus chief operating officer for customers John Leahy said: “The A320neo reduces operating costs whilst enabling airlines to offer the best cabin comfort levels.”

“This significant order from Alafco confirms that the neo ticks all the right boxes and is clearly the best product on the market,” Leahy added.

Over 8,100 A320 Family aircraft have already been ordered and more than 4,800 delivered to more than 340 customers and operators worldwide reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.

The A320neo has over 95 per cent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com